Snubbed bolster truck



@et ESQ @49 Filed July' 30, 19-4&5

L., A. LEHRMN SNUBBED BOLSTER TRUCK 3 Sheets-Sheet LMO Oct., 25, l949 L.A. LEHRMAN SNUBBED BOLSTER TRUCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 30, 1945INVENTOR. /nzcw/ BY K N w A m m m H M E L B A w L n w s Oct. 25, 1949.

' 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 50, 1945 Patented Oct. 25, 1949 2,485,973SNUBBED BOLSTER TRUCK Leo A. Lehman, Chicago, Ill., assignor to AmericanSteel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a corporation oi' New Jersey ApplicationJuly 30, 1945, Serial No. 607,766

(Cl. 10S-197) 19 claims. l

This invention relates to railway car trucks and more particularly to anovel truck comprisingA means for dampening oscillations of the truckbolster on its supporting springs.

Ageneral object of the invention is to design a truck of the abovedescribed type incorporating means for effectively dampening bolsteroscillations by developing relatively great frictional resistancethereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide the bolster with afriction shoe at each side thereof and to provide actuating means forsaid shoe characterized by a plurality of angularly related springs forurging the shoe into frictional engagement with a complementary surfaceof the truck side frame from which the bolster is spring-supported.

Still another objectv of the invention is to design an arrangement suchas above described wherein each shoe is resiliently wedged between thebolster and the side frame friction surface by a spring bearing againstthe side frame, said shoe being directly urged against the side frame Yfriction surface by another spring compressed between the shoe and thebolster.

The invention comprehends a friction shoe of novel form comprising amain friction Wall having a friction face on one side thereof and aspring seat on the opposite side thereof, said shoe comprising anotherspring seat angularly related to the first-mentioned seat.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent from the following specification and the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a railway car truckembodying the invention, said view being taken in a longitudinalvertical plane approximately bisecting the side frame, as indicated bythe line I-I of Figure 2, portions of the structure being shown inelevation;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the structure shown in Figure1 with the side frame shown in section through one of the columnsthereof;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the longitudinalvertical plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figures 4-6 inclusive illustrate in detail the friction shoe utilized inthe arrangement of Figures 1-3, Figure 4 being a side elevation of theshoe, Figure 5 being a top plan view thereof, and Figure 6 being a frontelevation thereof;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view partly in elevation of arailway car truck embodying 2 a modification of the invention, thesection being taken in the longitudinal vertical plane approximatelybisecting the truck side frame, as indicated by the line 1 1 of Figure8;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of the structure shown in Figure7 with the side frame shown in section through one of the columnsthereof;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken in the transverse vertical planeindicated by the line 9-9 of Figure 7;

Figures lil-12 inclusive illustrate in detail the friction shoe utilizedin the embodiment of Figures 7-9, Figure 10 being a side elevation ofthe shoe, Figure 11 being a top plan view thereof, and Figure 12 being afront elevation thereof; and

Figure 13 is a view comparable to Figure 3, ilustrating a furthermodification of the invenion.

Describing the invention in detail and referring first to the embodimentthereof illustrated in Figures 1-6 inclusive, the truck side framecomprises tension and compression members 2 and 4 connectedadjacent eachend of the frame by a column 6 defining a bolster opening 8 and anadjacent window opening lil.

The tension member 2 affords a support for a spring group comprising aplurality of bolstersupporting springs I2 which, in the illustratedembodiment, are seated on the conventional spring plate I4. It will beunderstood that if desired the plate I4 may be eliminated and the.springs I2 may bear directly against the tension member 2 which may beprovided with conventional positioning means (not shown) for saidsprings.

A bolster generally designated I6 is supported -by the springs I2 and inturn affords support for .the body bolster of an associated car body(not shown). The bolster I6 is provided at each side thereof withinboard and outboard guide lugs I8 and 20 affording an interlock withthe adjacent side frame column 6 to maintain the side frame and bolsterin assembled relationship. The bolster is provided with a pocket 22 ineach side thereof and is formed with spaced diagonal walls or ledges 24within said pocket in complementary wedge engagement as at 26 (Figures 1and 3) with spaced ledges 28 of a friction shoe generally designated 30.

Thefriction shoe 30 is shown in detail in Figures 4-6 inclusive andcomprises a front wall 32 in frictional engagement as at 34 (Figure 1)with a liner 36 mounted on the adjacent column 5, The shoe alsocomprises a bottom wall 38 andere affording a seat for a supportingspring 40 mounted on the spring plate I4, and said wall 38 comprisespositioning means for the upper end of spring 40 in the form of a boss4| received therein. On the rear surface of the wall 32,the shoe isformed with a spring seat and a spring positioning boss 42 for ahorizontal spring 44 compressed between the shoe and the longitudinalvertical center rib 46 of the bolster i6, said rib being provided with apositioning boss 48 for the spring 44. It may be noted that the spring44 extends between the associated walls or ledges 24 of the bolster andbetween the complementary ledges 28 of the friction shoe into a cavitytherein dened by the ledges 28, thereby affording a compact structure.

It will be understood that the spring 44 is operable to urge the shoe 30directly against the column liner 36 and the spring 40 is operable tourge the shoe against the walls 24, whereby a wedging action isdeveloped to increase the pressure of the shoe 30 against the column,thereby increasing the amount of friction developed during oscillationof the bolster. This wedging action causes increased frictionalresistance to movement of the bolster downwardly and for this reason,the .shoe engaging surfaces of the liner 36 are constructed so as todiverge downwardly, thus tending to' lessen the frictional resistancedeveloped; however, it will be understood that if desired the shoeengaging surfaces of the liner 36 may be vertical as shown in Figure 13or may even converge downwardly as in Figure 7.

Each column 6 is provided on its outboard face with a fulcrum lug 50whereby a tool, such as a crowbar, may be inserted between said lug 50and the adjacent bolster gib 20 to thrust the bolster against theopposite column, whereupon a key may be inserted through the transverseopening 52 through the shoe and into aligned openings 54, 54 through theinboard and outboard bolster walls defining the inboard and outboardmargins of the pocket 22. In this manner the shoes 30, 30 may be keyedto the bolster to render the friction devices inoperative, thusfacilitating assembly and disassembly of the side frame and bolster.

Figures '7-12 illustrate a modification of the invention which issubstantially the same as that shown in Figures 1-3 except that thevertical shoe actuating spring 40 is compressed between the top web ofthe compression member 4 and the friction shoe 55, the bolster structurebeing inverted to accommodate this arrangement.V This arrangement causesincreasing frictional resistance to the upstroke of the bolster and forthis reason, the shoe engaging surfaces of the column liner 36preferably diverge upwardly to eliminate any possibility of the bolsterbecoming jammed due to the great frictional resistance developed on theupstroke. The structure shown in Figures 7-9 is similar to that shown inFigures 1-3 and for this reason corresponding parts are identified bythe numerals utilized in the description of Figures 1*-3.

The friction shoe 55 in the arrangement of Figures 7-9 comprises a frontwall 56 with a front friction surface adapted for frictional engagementas at 34 with the associated column liner 36, and the rear surface ofthe wall 56 is provided with a spring seat and a spring positioning boss58 for the horizontal actuating spring 44. The top wall 60 of the shoeis provided with a recess 62 adapted to position the vertical shoeactuating spring 40, and at each side thereof the friction shoe isprovided with a diagonal ledge 64 adapted for wedge engagement with theassociated ledge or wall 24 of the bolster. Y

Figure 13 illustrates a further modification of the .invention which issubstantially the same as that shown in Figures 1-3, and the partscorresponding to thosein Figures 1-3 are identified by correspondingreference numerals. The present embodiment differs from' thosepreviously described in that the shoe 66 is provided with a verticalfriction face 68 engaging a vertical face 10 of the liner 36 on thecolumn 6.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exactembodiments of the device shown which are merely by way of illustrationand not limitation as various and other forms of the device will, ofcourse, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a railway car truck, a side frame comprising top and bottommembers and spaced columns defining therewith a bolster opening, abolster resiliently supported from said bottom member in said opening,said bolster comprising a vertical rib, and friction means comprising apocket in each side of said bolster, a friction shoe in said pocketcomprising spaced wedge surfaces in wedge engagement with spacedcomplementary wedge faces of said bolster, said shoe being in frictionalengagement with friction means on the adjacent column, and actuatingmeans for said shoe comprising spring means compressed between said riband said shoe and extending between said faces and between saidsurfaces, and spring means compressed between one of said members andsaid shoe for urging the surfaces thereon into engagement with saidvvmeans comprising a pocket in each side of said bolster, spaced diagonalwalls formed on said bolster within said pocket, a friction shoecomprising spaced ledges in wedge engagement with respective walls, saidshoe being in frictional engagement with a surface of said column, ahorizontal actuating spring extending between said spaced walls andbetween said spaced ledges and compressed between said shoe and saidbolster, and a vertical actuating spring seated on said frame andbearing at .its upper end against said shoe, the shoe engaging surfacesof respective columns being downwardly divergent.

3. vIn a railway car truck, a side frame comprising spaced columns andan intervening bolster opening, a bolster resiliently supported fromsaid frame in said opening, and frictionmeans comprising a pocket ineach side of said bolster, spaced diagonal walls formed on said bolsterwithin said pocket, a friction shoe comprising spaced ledges in wedgeengagement with repective walls, said shoe being in frictionalengagement with a surface of said column, a horizontal actuating springextending between said spaced walls and between said spaced ledges andcompressed between said shoe andbolster, and a vertical actuating springbearing at its upper and lower extremities against said frame and saidshoe respectively, the shoe engaging surfaces of respective columnsbeing downwardly convergent.

4. In a railway car truck, a side frame comprising tension andcompression members and a column therebetween, a bolster resilientlysupported from said frame, said bolster comprising spaced diagonal wallssloping toward said column, and friction means comprising a shoe inwedge engagement with said Walls and in frictional engagement with saidcolumn, a vertical spring bearing against said frame and said shoe forurging the latter into engagement with said Walls and said column, and ahorizontal spring extending between said walls and compressed betweensaid bolster and said shoe.

5. In a railway car truck, a side frame comprising spaced columns and anintervening bolster opening, a bolster resiliently supported from saidframe in said opening, and friction means comprising a pocket in eachside of said bolster, spaced diagonal walls in said pocket, a frictionshoe in complementary wedge engagement with said walls and in frictionalengagement with the adjacent column, a horizontal spring extendingbetween said walls and compressed between said shoe and bolster, and avertical spring bearing against said shoe and a portion of said frame.

6. In a railway car truck, a side frame, a bolster spring-supportedtherefrom, and friction means for dampening oscillations of said bolstercomprising a pair of wedge surfaces therewithin, a shoe engaging saidsurfaces and frictionally engaging said frame, spring means compressedbetween said frame and said shoe for urging the latter against saidsurfaces, and spring means extending between said surfaces andcompressed between said bolster and said shoe for urging the latteragainst said frame independently of said surfaces.

'7. In a railway car truck, a side frame, a bolster spring-supportedtherefrom, friction means comprising a shoe in wedge engagement with thebolster and in fractional engagement with the frame, spring meansreacting between said frame and shoe, and other spring means reactingbetween said bolster and said shoe, one of said spring means beingoriented to urge the shoe into said wedge engagement with the bolsterand into frictional engagement with said frame, and the other of saidspring means being oriented to urge said shoe in a direction away fromits engagement with the bolster and into engagement with said frame.

8. In a railway car truck, a side frame comprising spaced columns, abolster movably supported therebetween, and friction means cornprisingfriction elements engaging friction surfaces on the respective columnsand in wedge engagement with said bolster, said friction surfaces onsaid columns sloping from the vertical and lying in converging planes,and actuating means for each element comprising a'vertical springcompressed between said element and a portion of said frame toward whichsaid column friction surfaces diverge, and a horizontal spring housedwithin the bolster and compressed against said element.

9. In a friction shoe for a railway car truck, a hollow member withangularly related external surfaces, spring-positioning means on one ofsaid surfaces, an internal spring seat surface on said member oppositethe other external surface thereof spring-positioning means on saidinternal surface, spaced rigid portions at the lateral edges of saidinternal surface, said rigid portions l6 presenting spaced coplanarexternal wedge faces angularly related to said external surfaces.

10. In a railway car truck, a side frame, a bolster spring-supportedtherefrom, an inclined friction surface on said frame, and frictionmeans comprising a shoe in wedge engagement with the bolster and havinga diagonally arranged friction face in complementary frictionalengagement `with said friction surface on the frame, spring meansengaged with said frame and said shoe for urging said shoe into saidwedge engagement, and spring means carried by the bolster and incooperation with said first-mentioned spring means for urging said shoeagainst said friction surface.

l1. In a vehicle, a support member, a member spring-supported therefrom,a friction element in wedge engagement with one mem-ber and infrictional engagement with a surface on the other member, and angularlyrelated spring means, one of said spring means reacting against one ofsaid members and said element, lthe other of said' spring means reactingagainst the other of said members and said element, said spring meanscooperatively urging said element into said frictional engagement, andadditionally one of said spring means ux ging said element into saidwedge engagement, and the other of said spring means urging said elementin a direction away from said wedge engagement and into said frictionalengagement with said surface.

l2. In a friction shoe for a railway car truck, a member with spacedcoplanar wedge surfaces and a cavity therebetween, a spring seat in saidcavity, and an external spring seat on said member angularly related tothe first-mentioned spring seat.

13. In a railway car truck, a side frame member, a bolster membermovably supported therefrom, a friction shoe in wedge engagement withone member and in frictional engagement with the other member, andspring means reacting against different members and each reactingagainst said shoe, the spring means reacting against the frame memberurging the shoe into said wedge engagement and the spring means reactingagainst the bolster member urging the shoe in a direction away from saidwedge engagement and into said frictional engagement.

14. A friction shoe comprising a friction wall having a friction face onone side thereof and a spring seat on the opposite side thereof, anotherwall joining the first-mentioned wall and comprising a spring seat on aside thereof remote from said first-mentioned spring seat and disposedapproximately perpendicular thereto, and spring-positioning means oneach of said seats.

l5. In a railway car truck, a side frame having a sloping frictionsurface, a bolster resiliently supported from the frame, a friction shoewedged between the bolster and said surface, spring meansreacting-between the frame and said shoe urging the latter into thewedged position thereof, another spring means reacting between thebolster and said shoe urging the latter against said surface, verticalmovement of said bolster being operative to vary the load on one of saidspring means, and with said movement of said bolster said shoe slidingalong said surface and moving laterally of the bolster, thus changingthe load on the other of the spring means.

16. In a railway car truck, a side frame, a vertically movable bolsterresiliently supported from said frame, a friction surface on said framesloping verticallyv away from the bolster, snubbing means between saidbolster and surface including a friction shoe in complementaryfrlctional engagement with said surface and in wedge engagement withsaid bolster, spring means extending transversely of the bolster andcompressed between the same and said shoe for urging said shoe againstsaid surface, and other vertically arranged spring means compressedbetween the shoe and said frame for urging the shoe into said wedgeengagement with the bolster and into frictional engagement with saidsurface, the slope of said surface determining the movement of said shoetoward or away from said bolster upon vertical movement of said bolsterthereby changing the compression of said first-mentioned spring means,and said movement of said bolster varying the compression of saidvertically arranged spring means.

17. A friction shoe for a railway car truck comprising a member ofgenerally triangular form in side elevation and including a front wallpresenting a sloping friction surface on one side and a substantiallyvertical spring seat on its yopposite side, a substantially horizontalwall merging with said front Wall at one end thereof and presenting anexternal spring seatl and spacedwebs at the juncture of said wallspresenting coplanar external diagonal wedge faces extending between saidWalls. Y

18. In a car truck, a side frame, a bolster resiliently supported onsaid side frame, a shoe carried in the bolster and fractionally engaginga surface of the side frame, spring meansurging said friction shoeagainst said surface comprising a spring maintaining a constant force onthe friction shoe regardless of the weight on the bolster, and a springmaintaining a variable force on the friction shoe increasing directlywith the 8 load on the bolster, the total force between the frictionshoe and said surface of the side frame being at all times the suin ofthe independent forces exerted separately by the constant force springand the variable force spring.

19. In a car truck, a side frame, a bolster rel siliently supported insaid side frame, a shoe y carried on the bolster and having capacity forlateral movement with respect to it and adapted to frictionally engage a.surface on a column of the side frame, and spring means urging saidfriction shoe outwardly against said surface corn-v prising a springwithin the bolster maintaning a constant force on the friction shoeregardless of the weight on the bolster, and a spring beneath thebolster, acting through an element within the bolster for maintaining avariable force on the friction shoe increasing directly with the load onthe bolster, -said latter spring acting in parallel with thefirst-,mentioned spring, the total force between the friction shoe andsaid surface of the side frame being at all times the sum of theindependent forces exerted separately by the constant force spring andthe variable force spring.

' LEO A. LEHRMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are. of record in the ille ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,844,288 Layhon Feb. '9, 19322,129,408 Davidson Sept. 6, 1938 2,169,715 Webb Aug. 15, 1939 2,378,229Light June 12, 1945 2,449,305 Lehrman Sept. 14, 1948 Certificate ofCorrection Patent N o. 2,485,973 October 25, 1949 LEO A. LEHRMAN It ishereby certified that errors appear in the printed speccaton of theabove numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 5, line 43, for the Word fractional read jrctz'onal; column 7,line 32, for fractionally" read jr'ctz'onally; column 8, line 13, formaintanng read maintaining;

and that the said letters Patent should be read With these correctionstherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Olice.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of March, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uommz'ssz'oncr of Patents.

